Catherine McAuley Chapel – at Mercy Medical Center in Roseburg, Oregon – received a Merit Award for Liturgical Design by the national journal Faith & Form.

"The exquisite simplicity was a treat," the citation said. "It's a skilled person who can execute something so absolutely elegant and spiritual."

The firm of Portland architect Richard Brown designed the space in a highly collaborative effort. The aim was to create unity from contrasts: It's inside a busy hospital but it's a hushed place. Its art pieces are both centuries old and highly modern.

The design team included not only architects and client representatives but philanthropists and a half-dozen artists.